How Google Plus Affects Your Job Search

Google+ just might be the next recruiting frontier for companies and job seekers alike. Now that the site is open to the public, statistics indicate that Google+ has more than 40 million users. Steady growth is expected in the foreseeable future.

Google+’ potential when it comes to job searching lies within the site’s functionality. As reported by Careerealism, Google+ users don’t have to be connected to someone to find them. The opposite is true on social networking sites like Facebook and even LinkedIn, in which communication is driven by an initial connection. Google+, on the other hand, allows for more freedom and flexibility in reaching out to others on the site.

In today’s digital age, privacy is becoming an increasingly hot button issue, especially when it comes to potentially sensitive or controversial information and/or images being posted on a personal profile and subsequently discovered by a prospective employer.

Yet with Google+, users have the ability to activate various privacy settings so that certain messages can only be viewed by specified groups. Using your Google+ circles, you can sort people into various categories and, once you post a status update or share a link, can decide which of your groups will be able to view the content. Regularly posting high-quality content is also a great way to become viewed as an expert in your field or industry, so make it a priority to share compelling content on a regular basis.

Google+ also offers a higher level of sophistication when it comes to conversations. Not only can you approach individual users, but you can also participate in hangouts, which are online chats and are great resources for more information regarding a specific job or industry. You could also organize a hangout with other job seekers to trade tips and advice.

Since Google+ was created by a search giant, it’s no wonder that Google Plus profiles have greater online visibility. If you’re looking for a job, be sure that you’ve created a public Google profile. You’ll likely appear higher up in search results, and will also give recruiters a starting point for contact information, work samples and other pertinent information. Think of the Internet as a fast-moving stream. The more you can do to appear constantly visible in the midst of the traffic, the greater your chances of success when it comes to using the Internet — and, specifically, social media — to land a job.

Have you started using Google+ for your job search? If so, we’d love to hear any other tips you may have!